The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company is giving faithful fans even more opportunity to follow the excitement of the company’s four annual events with a variety of newly expanded Web site features and social media applications, available at www.barrett-jackson.com. The Web site now logs more than 45 million page views by more than 3.5 million visitors annually, and in response, the company has made the site more user-friendly and social media savvy to accommodate the diverse needs of users.
Craig Jackson, Barrett-Jackson CEO and Chairman, is the driving force behind the marriage of Barrett-Jackson and the World Wide Web. “I put us on the Web in 1994 — which was pretty far ahead of the curve — and had Internet bidding available by 1997, so we’ve always had an interest in creating a virtual experience unlike any other in the industry. We want users to be able to take the auction experience with them anywhere, and my goal is to provide as much opportunity for fans to stay informed and excited at all times.”
From Sept. 2008 – Sept. 2009 alone, barrett-jackson.com experienced more than a 150 percent increase in page views, and more than a 100 percent increase in visitors. During the Scottsdale auction, the Web site is so popular, that the Alexa Rating jumps to an impressive top 10,000 ranking. Web site offerings and visitation are expected to grow even more in the coming year as the company’s world famous collector car auctions continue to expand to new cities, with the most recent addition of a fourth event in Orange County, taking place in June 2010.
To keep fans instantly informed of all Barrett-Jackson happenings year-round, the newly revamped “Community” section is loaded with links to the company’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages; as well as video sharing site Hulu and an official YouTube channel, where auction highlights can be re-lived at anytime. To help create a dialogue between collector car enthusiasts, the Web site now offers user forums where visitors can converse about topics relating to the industry and the auctions. Rounding out the section is an interactive application called “My Garage,” where anyone can create a virtual garage full of their personal dream cars offered at Barrett-Jackson events.
The site features many ways to search and view the expansive list of auction vehicles. Visitors can search by year, make, model or style; or search past auctions and view photos in an interactive photo wall, where photos can also be bookmarked, emailed, or linked to social media sites. Additional features include links to research more about selected vehicles via Google or Wikipedia, as well as a mobile site available at http://mobile.barrett-jackson.com.
“Web site users will experience the most comprehensive, vibrant and seamless view of Barrett-Jackson we’ve ever offered,” Jackson continued. “We’ve embraced social media sites and created the forums because our fans are demanding it, so we’re thrilled we can give them additional ways to connect with each other and take part in the hobby. We’ve truly created an online community, and I look forward to what we come up with next.”
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions(TM)” in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Fla., Las Vegas and Orange County, Calif. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance offering for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.
